# Difference between balkan and english



## Adamo (Dec 23, 2008)

Dear members, i would like to know the difference between a balkan blend and an english blend. I would like to purchase some tobaccos from g.l pease abigidon and maltese falcon and some others and would like to know the differences between a balkan and english mixture.thanks


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## teedles915 (Jun 18, 2009)

I will b following this thread, as I have been wondering the same thing.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

From Mr. Pease himself:

Q: What is generally meant by "English," "Scottish," and "Balkan" style?

A: The definitions of these terms seem somewhat fluid, apart from the fact that all tobaccos bearing these appellations contain Latakia. To my mind, it's more important to consider the difference between an English mixture and a Scottish one. In the first case, Latakia is a more dominant note, with Virginias and orientals filling in the gaps. A Scottish style blend, on the other hand, is dominated by matured virginias, possibly with small amounts of oriental leaf or a bit of Latakia for spice.

There's been some discussion of late about what a “Balkan Blend” is, and after some poking about in old ephemera - tobacconists' catalogues, old magazines and so on - I'm beginning to believe that the term is meaningless. Generally, people seem to apply it to an English mixture with a greater presence of oriental tobaccos, but this isn't really a fair cop. I suspect the term was probably originally used to describe a blend that is similar to the now venerated Balkan Sobranie. What's interesting is that this particular blend was dominated by virginias and Latakia, with only delicate sprinklings of oriental leaf, which is quite at odds with the current colloquial usage.

Probably better just to think of the two terms as being interchangeable, if we use them at all, since any definitions we create will be similarly aribtrary.


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## commonsenseman (Apr 18, 2008)

Crap, I just posted that too!!!!! :frusty:


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## Mad Hatter (Apr 8, 2007)

This has been covered numerous times and you're likely to get varying answers. IMO the difference is that a balkan has a highewr percentage of latakia and VAs and a lower prcentage of orientals.


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

Percentage of Orientals is higher in Balkan than in English. I exclude Latakia so I refer specifically to Izmir, Smyrna, Yenidje, Samsun, Drama, Sokhaum, etc.

How much?

Depends on the blender. Depends on the market .....

I'd call the following _Balkan blends_ ....

759 - Balkan Sobranie
Abingdon
Balkan Sasien
Balkan Supreme
Tree Mixture
Bohemian Scandal
Caravan
Odyssey

The following are examples of _English blends_ ...
Commonwealth Mixture
London Mixture
Mixture 965
Nightcap
Penzance
Standard Mixture Medium
Westminster


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

Obviously, this is as subjective as possible, but I find Westminster to be a balkan, although it is most often described as an english.


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## mugwump (Jun 7, 2007)

For my own personal use I consider a blend to be a Balkan/Oriental when the Oriental tobaccos outshine the Latakia. By this measure blends like Squadron Leader, Skiff, and Presbyterian fall into the Oriental/Balkan camp. For me it's all about that sliding Latakia scale.


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Adamo said:


> Dear members, i would like to know the difference between a balkan blend and an english blend.


Apparently so would everyone else.


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## PaulMac (Jul 15, 2003)

bah, I just lump them into, I like this...I do not like this lol
lifes too short to bitch about 1 gram of diff in latakia or yenidje or any other leaf


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

MarkC said:


> Apparently so would everyone else.


 :r So true!


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

Many of us have to mail order anything other than the drugstore blend. Speaking only on my own behalf- threads like this help me make better informed decisions and keep the pile of tins containing disappointing blends from growing...

Now if only we could find out the definitive difference between bulldog and Rhodesian pipes...
With dogs it's easy!
Bulldog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Rhodesian Ridgeback - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


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## Zeabed (Apr 23, 2009)

GuitarDan said:


> [...] Now if only we could find out the definitive difference between bulldog and Rhodesian pipes...
> With dogs it's easy!
> Bulldog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Rhodesian Ridgeback - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


So true, I've even run into diametrically opposite definitions of that difference, both cases invoking the round shank/square shank and straight/bent guideline....! The pipes not the dogs, I mean.


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## plexiprs (Nov 18, 2005)

One of the things I _absolutely love_ about pipe smoking is the tremendous variety of flavors that tobacco blends can give you!!

Take the simple ingredient list of; VIrginia, Latakia, Other Orientals, Perique, and see what a wide range of flavors you can get. Rivals, if not exceeds, what can be done with four simple ingredients in baking!!

Then you can add more nuances and "spices" and great millions of variations!! :rockon:

Balkans, English, Scottish, Irish ..... who cares!?!?



PaulMac said:


> I just lump them into, I like this...I do not like this


My new motto!!! :tongue:


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## slyder (Mar 17, 2009)

smokin SG Balkan Flake as we speak............it falls into the "I like" category! Can i tell how much latakia is in it? nope....dont care. Tastes good. Smells good. Is good.


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## Gigmaster (Jan 12, 2009)

The reason for the confusion is that the term 'Balkan' is a fairly new addition to the Glossary of pipe tobaccos.

Prior to the 1970s, there is little or no mention of anything called a 'Balkan' blend from any of the major players in the Pipe Tobacco world. The oldest reference (at last that I can find) is to _The Balkan Sobranie,_ introduced by Sobranie of London in the early 1970s. It was a classic English blend of Virginias and Latakia, with the addition of Balkan Yenidje Oriental leaf. It is the addition of Yenidje leaf that makes a blend a Balkan, regardless of how much Latakia is in it. Several pipe tobacco blenders now offer their versions of this classic smoke, such as Hearth and Home _White Knight_, 4 Noggins _Britt's Balkan,_ _Balkan Sasieni _, and others. There are no, "Tobacco Police" to enforce any kind of purity in blends, so just because a blend may call itself a 'Balkan', it may not actually be a true Balkan, but it will have some blend of Oriental tobaccos in it.

A classic English blend is a Virginia base, with Latakia. It may, or may not also include Oriental mixes.

A Scottish Blend is is an English, or Balkan Blend, with English Cavendish added, creating a wonderful sweetish, musky smoke with just the right edge of smokiness from the Latakia. My favorite type of tobacco blend. Keep in mind that there is a big difference between English Cavendish, and just plain Cavendish. Cavendish can be made from Virginia, or Burly, or any combination of both. It is heated, usually by fire, or sometimes steam, pressed, and allowed to ferment. English Cavendish, on the other hand, is only made from Fire-Cured, or Dark-Flu Virginias, steamed, then stored under constant pressure to allow it to ferment and cure. This creates a superb, musky-sweet tobacco that is a great addition to any blend where extra sweetness and complexity is desired.

I have just begun to blend my own tobaccos, and I have to say that the research on tobaccos is fascinating, and well worth the effort, even on it's own behalf.


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## Gigmaster (Jan 12, 2009)

That's easy. A Rhodesian has a round shank, and a Bulldog has a diamond shank. This is the defining characteristic, according to Steve Morrisette's _Guide To Tobacco Pipes And Pipe Smoking_. I think it might be _THE _definitive guide to all things pipe. You can read a free copy of it here at Guide to Tobacco Pipes & Pipe Smoking ? Gentleman's Gazette

.


Zeabed said:


> So true, I've even run into diametrically opposite definitions of that difference, both cases invoking the round shank/square shank and straight/bent guideline....! The pipes not the dogs, I mean.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

I don't really like to refer to Latakia blends as "English". (I'll have a glass of Old Pedant, barkeep! :beerchug

*What is an English Pipe Tobacco Blend? | With Pipe and Pen]*

*Balkan Pipe Tobacco Definition | With Pipe and Pen*

Sheesh, Joel. How do you keep finding these ancient threads!? :lol:


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## Gigmaster (Jan 12, 2009)

I'm not exactly a Spring Chicken, myself......:smile:

It was towards the top of the list of topics on the first page. I never think to check the dates. Maybe I need to smoke a pipe while I am perusing the Forums, to help me concentrate.



freestoke said:


> I don't really like to refer to Latakia blends as "English". (I'll have a glass of Old Pedant, barkeep! :beerchug
> 
> *What is an English Pipe Tobacco Blend? | With Pipe and Pen]*
> 
> ...


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## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

freestoke said:


> I don't really like to refer to Latakia blends as "English". (I'll have a glass of Old Pedant, barkeep! :beerchug
> 
> *What is an English Pipe Tobacco Blend? | With Pipe and Pen]*
> 
> ...


Both of these articles are GREAT.

Personally, I don't use the terms "Balkan" or "Scottish" to describe a blend. Perhaps my ignorance is to blame - that I don't know exactly what they mean, except that they refer to blends containing various amounts of latakia and/or orientals. But my opinion is that if there is debate in the community about what the words mean, then the words themselves are completely useless. Although I don't like it and consider it a misnomer, I do use the term "English" on occasion, only because it is the most common term to vaguely describe anything containing latakia. I'd prefer to use the term "latakia blend," but I think I sound like a hoity toity smarty pants when I say it, so I grudgingly will sometimes say "English" to refer to virtually anything containing latakia, as is common usage.

C&D Billy Budd, for example, contains a significant latakia component, but there is nothing English about it, and it shares almost no resemblance to "traditional English" style blends. Ditto Middleton Walnut. They're not English, they're American for chrissake! And don't get me started on Peter Stokebye's Danish English blends!

So to answer the original question - English, Balkan, and Scottish are vague marketing terms that don't have a specific meaning. A blend's style is whatever its manufacturer says it is.


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## Gigmaster (Jan 12, 2009)

So true. I know of many blends that call themselves 'Scottish' simply because one of the flavorings is Scotch whiskey.



gahdzila said:


> Both of these articles are GREAT.
> 
> Personally, I don't use the terms "Balkan" or "Scottish" to describe a blend. Perhaps my ignorance is to blame - that I don't know exactly what they mean, except that they refer to blends containing various amounts of latakia and/or orientals. But my opinion is that if there is debate in the community about what the words mean, then the words themselves are completely useless. Although I don't like it and consider it a misnomer, I do use the term "English" on occasion, only because it is the most common term to vaguely describe anything containing latakia. I'd prefer to use the term "latakia blend," but I think I sound like a hoity toity smarty pants when I say it, so I grudgingly will sometimes say "English" to refer to virtually anything containing latakia, as is common usage.
> 
> ...


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